My coach is in town... I lost him. The day started with a swim, a long one and we got lost, took the wrong turn at the wrong coral head, in the wrong ocean, past the wrong buoy. But it was all good, the swim was really long as the plan said to do, and we eventually made it. BUT I made it almost an hour later and by that time coach was off and flying up and down hills with Lance Armstrong on the bike.

Manny blames me for getting us lost. Told coach I was really sorry, sometimes a mermaid looses her map...now I have to ride with him tomorrow, it will most likely hurt but maybe not. Thursday he is making me run for blood (you know that lactate test thingy). I'm not sure, I've never run for blood but I'm excited about it and have already learned so much...bring it on!

After the swim it was time to ride. Who knew riding solo could be so fun... that zone you get into when running long I found on my bike today. Maybe because no training partners wanted to come and the IPOD is broke, anyways, it was amazing to drift off on 2 wheels and feel content with nothing but the hot Kona winds and surrounding lava rocks.

Burrito Sunsets are back in action Monday nights... so happy about that. Last night a whale was doing its thing so close to shore we could hear him! It made the entire night surreal to be that close to something so perfect. Living in such paradise is something I never want to take for granted, especially being able to have beach sunsets all year long...so burrito sunset Mondays have me appreciating what I already love all over again and with people I totally adore, even if I am always the 3rd wheel...

Beautiful...

Okay enough of the warm sunny stuff... life ain't always hot tropics, BUT there is a bright side. I have this friend, Christie who lives in the exact opposite of sunshine (freezing snow to be exact)and her world is also a bit cloudy at the moment. It's her story to tell, not mine, but she needs a little help so I figured the least I could do is spread the word:

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What: Bikini Ski 2010
When: Feb 20-21
Where: Monarch Ski Resort
Why: If I can raise $300-500 for the Crohns and Colitis Foundation, I will ski one run in my bikini. If I can raise $1000 I will ski two runs in my bikini!
How: Visit my blog, pedestrianrunner.blogspot.com, and click on the donate key. Then leave a comment on my blog so that I can keep a running tab and have donation names. I am working on getting some donations. And visit the site often because I will also post some swimsuit pictures so that you guys can vote on which suit I should wear! Thanks!

Check out Christi's page please...

It's only Tuesday and I'm pooped like Thursday.... better get the bike ready to roll with coach in the morning, this outta be good!! Night from Kona...

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Sunday taught me a lot. I learned that no matter how turd like, (as coach calls it), that your legs feel, even a long ride is amazing with the views in South Kona. The simple life... Sundays are so good.

I learned that when you see a "Help yourself" sign that really means "Kona Long Ride Aid Station" and to take full advantage because most likely there is not another stop for a long-LONG-long time!

I learned on Super Bowl Sunday beers are only 25 cents-and that my training partner is an alcoholic....ha ha... just kidding, I think. I learned no park dis space means move your bike.

I learned "Please don't pick the mangos" only counts if you park. (don't ask-PLEASE don't park).

I learned you won't die and go to hell if you pee in the cemetary. I had to go so bad, no bathroom and we still had 3 hours of riding. I was pretty scared but after I realized no ghosts were chasing me and I was still in paradise it's okay....you can go there...

I learned movies are not reality. Wendy and I saw that movie "When in Rome" and the chick stole a few coins from a fountain in hopes she'd have better luck with her love life, well... When in Kona, at a local shop, "take a wish" does not work like in the movies.... (another long, funny story for a rainey day).

I learned Sundays on Ali'i Drive are not full of garage sales (mostly because nobody has a garage), but full of FREE stuff. Again, the training partner found happiness, a cooler for all his 25 cent beers!

I also learned that when it's time for an Ironman I am in charge of the baking/training fuel, so this Sunday was all about making Kate's Ironman NZ stuff for the long flight she will take tomorrow (or maybe its Tuesday).

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The grand finale...... drum roll please.... I learned tomorrow I get a massage and my coach is coming to Kona! Not sure if I'm scared or excited... Good night!!

Bree

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I got lei'd in Maui... really, thanks to a good run.

All for the love of whales I got one heck of an adventure and a 3hour 10 minute wait at the worlds smallest airport (Maui Commuter). I blame the fact that Maui has 5 main roads and Kona has 2, for me being “fashionably late”. Fashionably was exactly 5 minutes too much aloha time and now I wait, wait, wait for another plane. The check in counter man, (as we waved good bye to my plane), said he could fly me to Molokai in an hour. Molokai is the only island I don’t know, (you’d think I’d know Maui after dozens of visits, clearly I don’t). VERY tempted, I had a little self restraint, and whimpered out a no, get me to Kona.

Holding bags, shoes, laptop, this and that, book, and water, the little planes weigh you and all your stuff then tell you where you sit depending on the scale. Kona 158, Maui 168...10 pounds more on the flight home thanks to a man that gave me a box of pineapples (don't ask, it was part of my adventure in getting lost).
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A bit of exploring, some dinner, and a movie it was soon slumber time and I was more than ready after a week of “Coach Jimmy’s coaching”. Woke up to rice, coconut water, and a banana, called it good and went to check in. Once the race number and timing chip was on I was ready to run with the usual butterflies parading in my belly. “This half marathon was just a training day Bree, just a training day, just a training day.” I said that a few times so I would keep the focus on being smart and using it as a training run all for the love of whales.
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Quickly if you asked me to sum up the course, “Palani Hill Repeats”. The only other half marathon I’d ever run (all 4 times) was the Kona Half and you know that course, “Alii 98% flat Drive”. The only flat mile today was mile one…which I thought I paced well because I was in 11th with a few other girls for a while-no, I did a 5:42, not-so-smart-me. I just get too excited, but at least I wasn’t with the lead boys running a 5:05 or something crazy at mile one. Let’s just say I ran that roller coaster as best and smart as I thought I could. I was being brave, being patient, being focused, and not letting the weeks of training in my legs entertain me. Mostly I thought of my coach and how he has worked so hard with me to help build up my confidence after I pretty much was 95% sure I would return to teaching this season. I thought of all my workouts where he gave me opportunities to succeed because he let me have cushions of time and a few “options” when things weren’t working out. Or in his words, “if I feel like a turd”.
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About half way, at the top of a climb that was said to be just over 1,000 feet my legs felt so wobbly. They were jello mush but my head and my heart were willing and I kept thinking of how much coach has worked to get me back on the start line of a race with even an ounce of belief. I just kept pushing and thankfully a pack of boys were pulling for me. They were calling me to keep up, telling me to tuck in behind when the head wind came, and they were helping me hide in their shoulders. I just kept running. I knew my PR on the “Kona 98% flat course” was a 1:21.29. I wanted to beat that even though this was about 2% flat and I was far from rested. I wanted to run hard for the whales, for coach, for me, for Kainoa, for Travis, for my sponsors, for those that supported me through my rough spots and helping me find courage to try triathlon another season before considering the return to teaching. (excuse the drama but all that was going on in my head while running).
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With the final mile that 80’s song “Jesse’s girl” came on. Yes, IPODS are legal in most all run races for 2010 season according to the new rules. Anyways, I just love that song for some unknown reason and I ran up the last hill as if it was the first hill and then into the flat zone to the finish line, the clock was ticking….1:21.43. 14 seconds off my PR on the most challenging half course I ever ran, I was so happy you would never believe. The boys in my pack told me they were about 3 minutes off their PR on this course…ooooh that made me hungry to run another one. Then I found out later from the MAN-ager with a big mouth that coach knew this course and was thinking a 1:24 would be a good day out of me on it. I shocked him, I shocked me, then he said he was proud of me, I was like a little kid on Christmas to hear that.

After all that it was time to explore. And I got lost. I followed a few top secret beaches rather than the "known" path. Now I have slightly less than 2 hours of waiting in the airport for my missed plane. The good news is I will have a weekend of exploring in Maui, A FULL weekend and a WHALE CRUISE for 4, thanks to that half marathon! Tomorrow is a 5hour recovery ride. Recovery ride sounds good right about now. 5 hours worth, oh legs get ready…

Anyways, a few whales will hopefully be saved thanks today’s Maui Whale Run. AND fantastic news, the hump back whale is ALMOST off the "near extinction" list thanks to the people of Hawaii and the Pacific Whale Foundation for fighting to save them. YOU can help too... donate AND your donations enter you to win a FREE trip to Hawaii. CONGRATS to everyone who came from the mainland and other islands to save whales. Well worth it. And a SPECIAL shout out to my man Marley... HAPPY Birthday Bob, you are right-"Every little thing is gonna be alright".
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Aloha from Maui.
Bree

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Foto thanks to an amigo in Costa Rica...

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Tomorrow I will wake up, ride my bike for a few long hours, then hop on a plane for 30 short minutes to the little island of Maui, all for the love of whales. I am crazy about whales.

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I will never forget the first time I saw a whale in the real world (not Seaworld). I was surfing and this huge rush of water entangled me with a surge of calm chaos. It was surreal, almost good scary. It was right there, right in the line up with a scattered row of surfers. After surfing I ran to the store and bought one of those Hawaiian whale tale necklaces that some locals treasure as their 'aumakuas. That whale tale never left my neck, until Kainoa broke it off me, it was my reminder of how truly amazing this crazy beautiful world is, and that I had just fallen in love with a whale.

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Well, Maui is home of the whales more so than the other islands, even though all the islands are flooded with whales each year. Maui holds a month long Whale Festival each year that raises tons of support and money to save whales. At the end of it people from everywhere run for the whales or race for them if you are in the mood to go fast up and down the Maui hills on one heck of a half marathon course.

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This weekend I'm going to save a whale. I can't feel my legs, they are along the road somewhere from the swimbikerun that engulfs my life and habit all week long, however there happens to be a long run on my training plan for Saturday so I'll just do what any whale loving girl would do, I will run on Saturday for a whale and check off my long run at the same time. Seriously, life on a small chain of islands is full of fun like that. Hopping islands for a swim, a bike, a run, to visit friends, to see pineapples, to play with whales, its just so possible that you can't help but wander from one island to the next. This whale of an adventure is right up there on my "keep living life fully" plan so the shoes and not much more are packed...simple.

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Watch out whales, here I come.

Bree

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Training today was a big hit! Whenever our little town gets visitors here for training camps we "insist" they swimbikerun with us, sometimes to pull us, other times so we can play tour guides, sometimes to smash up on them, and just because it's fun to have new training partners along for the Kona adventures. Kiet is here this week and we introduced him to Queen K on the bike. Dave talked his ear off, Kate and I made him listen to all the girl talk happening, and then I "insisted" he join me for my intervals out to Puako. Then I got bossy and told him refueling island style is coconut water or nothing...poor guy. 70 miles later no bonking, it works!!!

This is no vacation for the visitor... we made him come to swim practice too. We are adopting him because he can swim IM really fast and lead the lane when we need some help. Poor Kiet.

About the time he thought he's seen all Kona has to offer, he witnessed true NERDS in action. Kate is getting ready for IM NZ and her race number came out today, 242. SO I figure it's time to psych her up, we body marked her 6 weeks early, she swam with the number and will keep it on till race day! I'm officially very tired now. Training is hard this week and wore me out enough that I managed a GREAT nap today. VERY needed as my legs feel like pooooooo.

Tomorrow is a run, with a speedy section that will no doubt require all my efforts mentally and physically. I'm ready, Coach is getting spicy with my training program and I like it. And of course Kiet will be my "rabbit". I've already told him the pace and he said no worries, he will pace me through...then we got him and Manny, (our AK visitor), to keep us company on the ocean swim. LOVE having training partners from all over visit the island, its like a training camp in my back yard!

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I've already got the recovery activity for tomorrow planned too. LOOK! (see above foto). I found GREAT new fabric at my favorite Friday hangout. Elvis Presley and Shaved Ice fabric new in town this week and I already got my hands on it! Not sure what to sew, I'll think of something!

Oh, I got a new recipe for you. You know how after long rides you get weird cravings and you just are not sure what to eat but you know you have to satisfy that hunger for whatever it is?? After today's long ride I was needing protein, some sweetness, and a bit of crunchy. SO I got out the Maca powder and Carob nibs (both raw foods loaded with antioxidants, omegas, and protiens). Then I got an idea....

Put a bunch of things I'm craving together:

1 cup walnuts

1 cup coconut shreds

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup carob nibs

1/2 cup raw flax seed meal

1/4 cup raw cocoa powder

1/4 cup agave syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup flax seeds

1/4 cup maca powder

2 bananas

I put all that in the food processor, processed just a little, then put it in a baking pan. Really I had no idea what to expect, no recipe, no clue, just things I thought would solve the post-long ride cravings.

It sort of looked like blue brownies. I baked it at *350 for 40 minutes, it made my whole house smell so good I was spooning out bites from the oven every 5 minutes to see if it was done, (not that I knew what done would be with this concoction). After 40 minutes it was "baked" and let me tell you, it was fantastic! Not only did it taste good it was the perfect recovery fuel and helped my swim go swimmingly!

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Okay, its again bed time. Happy training! Try the "Puako bars". I named them that since it was my bike turn around today.

Bree

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In high school a handful of the surfer boys started a rock band called, "Super Tuesday". They were kind of crazy, loads of fun, and without a doubt my favorite place to spend Friday nights. Today reminded me of them, it is Tuesday, my training was kind of crazy, we found some fun, and of course it was all over a few of my favorite places.
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The day began on the treadmill, intervals. Short ones. The intervals had so much sweat spraying that I was giving free showers to anyone within 2 feet. Tready sessions keep you so honest, you just punch in the numbers and move the legs to match the goal numbers. For someone like me its a pretty good tool to learn a pace. There is no going out too fast and no holding some for later, you just do it from the start and hold on till the end (or fly off the back). Anyways, it hurt, it was crazy, it was my super Tuesday.
After that-OCEAN SWIM! Time to rock on!! This was the fun part... it was sort of a "recovery" and sort of a "hold on" swim. The fastest woman in Kona was the leader and I had to hold onto her feet, (after a very serious warm up of course). Warm was to the 6th buoy, bump into everyone in Kona that was in the ocean at the moment, talk story for an aloha minute, then we go. I won't lie, swimming with Karlynn is not very easy, her kick is a little crazy and she can move. My eyes held tight to her feet and would not let enough space come between them and my reach.

After the crazy run, fun swim, it was ride time. I LOVE living in my new place because every time I leave my house I get to ride past the first beach I ever surfed at in Hawaii. It gives me butterflies still today! The ride was the weirdest wind I've seen all year (so far). It was like riding in a tornado. It wasn't a head wind or tail wind, it was swirling in all directions and as soon as you figure it out you get blown in another direction only to find yourself death gripping your bars. Nonetheless, it made fitting sense to this Super Tuesday. Of course all great rock bands have moments of some lovin' and my Super Tuesday got some too...but it hurt. A massage that looks like it left bruises from jumping in mosh pits & crowd surfing. OUCH! A good ouch.

What a long day...the pillows are calling. VERY good night from Kona! OOOOOOOOH, great news, had Brooke and Nick over for dinner, they read the comment Todd wrote about being a "nursery snob" and now they are going to let me paint their baby room! THANK you so much Todd for pulling Brooke to her senses, ha ha!! YES!

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Lots of ALOHA,

Bree

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My life is nowhere near as exciting as the sisters today.... I just swimbikerun, and a few other things. Tonight I took the prego sisters yoga class, hilarious, she still can do everything better than me with a giant belly, maybe the competitive streak we have happening will see me win when her belly is at the "due-date", till then, forget it, she wins all things yoga.
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I'm not saying I want to be pregnant, but watching her is bringing back REALLY good pregnancy memories. Coach Steve let me swim till the day I gave birth, flip turns included. Ocean swimming was the best, I was the turn buoy for all my friends! And the highlight, creativity! Something great happens when you are prego, your creative juices go wild, like the child inside you causes you to be more childlike in life. I remember spending most of my pregnancy painting Kainoa's room to look like an underwater wonderland....
Brooke and Nick STILL won't agree to let me paint their baby's room! I'm a little upset about that and plan to sneak in and just do it when they are out for the evening...hmmmm, good idea. Every time they see these fotos they laugh more about the idea. Seeing Brooke is making me miss pregnancy, not that I want to put Kainoa back in the belly, it was just such a fun time in a really bizarre kind of way, except morning sickness, lack of sleep, big boobs, and having to go to the bathroom a lot.

I think if by chance I was pregnant again, this would be the inside of my belly:

I've been spending a lot of time in the ocean and a little dolphin would be a nice brother for Kainoa...ha ha.... (don't you love that foto?!).

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Tomorrow is more swimbikerun, ocean swimming, if anything exciting happens, like painting Brooke's baby room I will let you know. NIGHT!!

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Bree

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Early on I knew deep in my heart that my life belongs in a world of blue colors. I'd never be content elsewhere and thoughts of a sun drenched life of all shades blue would haunt me forever if I didn't follow. After my morning run and setting my legs free for miles after miles along the Kona coast, Kainoa and I were in swim suits and sunscreen. Off to meet our friend Jason, he works on a boat and we were invited to his job. The entire time I couldn't stop smiling that Kainoa is growing up in Hawaii, in all shades blue and most days wearing a giant smile. My earliest childhood memories were on a farm, shades of green, fields of gold wheat, and powder snow in the winter. Beautiful colors, but not ones that set me free...

Having Kainoa has caused me to grow up in so many ways and in some small way we are both growing up in Hawaii. Together. Today we embraced our youth in the far flung adventures offered down at Kealakekua Bay, complete with swimming, dolphins, and a whale. Tomorrow is more running, more training, more of the life I love, gently surrounded by the colors I always dreamt of.

May all your trails be crooked, winding, a bit lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view...where something strange and more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams waits for you. Edward Abbey

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It was a good morning because it started in the ocean. I also did something good for me that rarely happens, okay, first time ever, I had my feet worked on. They are fine, it's just prevention. The feet, especially those that run, jump, and are used a lot, often get neglected for all the work they do. A little circulation is needed more than we give.

Did you know every time we run while landing on our feet its equal to using a hammer to hit ourselves in the heal/foot with 1.5 to 3 times our body weight!? Poor little feet. Usually one to laugh when getting a massage anywhere near my feet, today was no laughing matter. The "ART Nancy Wonder Woman specialist" had me in tears while digging, rubbing, and stretching out my feet muscles/joints. That was the good of the day, along with the swim...bike...

The bad...well, I owe a few people that helped me move something bad, very bad. None of my healthy smealthy crapola, they wanted bad. Here is really bad if you are into that sort of thing:

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Bad Bars

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup sugar

(mix the 2 on medium heat in a large pan)

3 cups peanut butter

(stir it into sugar/syrup mix)

7 cups Special K Cereal

1/2 bag butter scotch chips

(stir into mixture then spoon into your serving pan)

1/2 bag butter scotch chips

1 bag chocolate chips

(melt over medium heat then spread over cereal mix)

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These things are so rich they make your belly ache! They have been a big hit that I try to avoid making. If you want to try a bit healthier option (unless the people that helped you move like it bad), we use carob chips and peanut butter chips, we use almond butter, and we trade corn syrup for agave and the regular sugar we use rich maple chunks. Then add in a few berries, dried blueberries are amazing in there!

As for the buoys... whales have been hanging out at the Ironman buoy all week, Wendy and I mustered up the balls to look for them out in the deep blue sea today. All we found were fish!

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The whale hunting will continue tomorrow!

Bree

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The riding has been unbelievable, its really hard not to be happy when the sun is shining and the skies are almost cloudless. From our bikes we counted 7 whales playing in the ocean. I'm on my 8th year of living on the island and it still captures my heart, radiates some of the biggest smiles I've known, and makes me more than thankful for having a wild heart.
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The plan was a 6 month job at Kahakai Elementary, i'd never even been to Hawaii when I agreed. On the plane I jumped and I never went back, life works so much better for me when I grab a goal, get on the path, but never fear taking detours. Those detours are where so many undiscovered opportunities await...like this life that I just love.
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Back to my post title, tuff miles. Darn Thursdays are begining to grab a painful routine, running hard, running fast. Today in the middle of my speed session I had a mile for time. With the given load my legs are enduring it wasn't expected to be a PR, just a "where are we" kind of mile. The girl that I am tried to remember the only mile for time I ever ran. Two came to mind. Once in 6th grade gym class and the other time in 2007, almost a year after giving birth I did that Kona Coffee Mile. I will never forget that mile. The very moment I crossed the finish line I peed my pants. Thankfully the women at the finish were moms and understood-running hard within a year after a baby pops out things are a little broke and well, somethings you can't control. Anways, other than the pee I got a 5:02 and was really happy because it was a PR, I beat my time from 6th grade.
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Today I knew would hurt because all warm up hurt. When the mile came I wanted to run from it. I like the challenge and understand it was just a "lets see where we are" kind of thing, but darn I wanted more time to prepare. Well, the mile came and went, it was over before I knew it and sadly it was not even close to my pee-pants mile. Part of me wanted to grunt and moan the other part got fired up and motivated to keep pushing hard in my training. It was a very tuff mile, not so much the mile it's self but being able to accept where I am at this point in the season and having the patience to believe that I am where I am supposed to be-not too fast, not too slow, just here.

Other than loads of swimbikerun, a hard mile, whale encounters, and motherhood, life is going well. I'm still keeping to a path but never fearing a detour...in fact, I think I'll stick to the path (swim practice tomorrow) but detour it to the ocean rather than the pool so I can catch more whale tales. Enjoy the training :)

Bree

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The ocean is full of whales this time of year! Coach Steve was pretty much side swiped by one and from the beach you can see them breaching! Its beautiful seeing something so big so close! The day began in the ocean and I'm highly convinced it's one of the best ways to start a day. Salt water soaked, washed to shore with the swell, and arms lingering with that happy-tired feeling, it was a good morning.

From the beach to the bike. Today was South Loop, maybe my favorite Big Island ride. The ocean was still lingering on my skin, reminding me of how just moments ago I was in the water with those crazy whales that were now visible from the bike. The South Loop is just one hilly mess smothered in coffee farms, hot chunks of old lava, and very much sun soaked! The lower road from bay to beach is maybe the most heated place I know other than standing on the lava. Air does not move down there and shade is nonexistent. Perhaps it is beautiful only because it takes you from one amazing view to another gorgeous spot on Earth with nothing much between the two.

Coach warned me after the swim/ride I would be feeling a little "pooooooped". With about 45 minutes to refuel, refresh, recover it was time for a run. His words, "You won't feel like doing this, but make it happen". OH MY GOSH, it really felt like I jumped off an Ironman swim/ride and began running. That same feeling was mimicked. "Push through Bree, push through Bree, push through Bree", was replaying over and over in my mind. The thoughts of South Africa in 3 months was filling every muscle reminding me that THIS is how I will feel so discover ways to deal with it now.

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Sure enough, within a few moments of bitter sweet battle with the flumsy clumsy tired body I was in that zone where you forget about being a little tired, a little hungry, and a little thirsty and you realize only commitment to conquering the workout will get you through. The excitement of finishing a good day of training was near to that of finishing a good day of racing, I was famished and happy all wrapped into one triathlete.

From there it was time to get Kainoa. The instant he ran to hug me he backed away from his sweat drenched smelly momma...oh life is sweet. At that moment I was needing food and all I wanted was roasted wasabi seaweed (must have lacked a few pounds of sodium in this sun filled day). Again, leave it to a 3 year old to make everything better. After mouth fulls of seaweed he says, "mom, don't worry, you can brush your teeth before bed". I was all smiles with that innocent truth he shared with me...

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I think there is just enough time to catch a sunset today, happy training!

Bree

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The happy couple with baby in belly moved a couple weeks ago. It was perhaps the most challenging couple weeks ever in Kona life. The luxury of walking in my pajamas to my sisters was gone. The ability to be at her house in 13 seconds (we were neighbors) was gone. She moved 2 miles down the road-by Kona standards that's nearly the other side of town.
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When I went to University at PBA she followed, when I moved to Hawaii she came. When she moved to Kalani Kai I followed, now she moved 2 miles away, and Kainoa and I followed! Over the weekend I made my sister and I neighbors again! We are 49 seconds away from each other again, life is really good again, ahhhh...the simple things that mean so much to me! Of course part of the reason is I want our boys to grow up playing together as neighbors and I like having uncle Nick within reach of my bike! ha ha.... Our family grill outs are back in action! Our baking days are full swing ahead, and movie nights are scheduled. Back in Florida my parents, grandma, aunt/uncle, and cousins, sister, all live within walking distance of each other, Brooke and I have to keep that distance here too. It's tradition.
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As for the new neighbors, the woman next to me is pretty chill. I think we will get along well. Lots of kids in the neighborhood. AND one of my favorite people, Cody, lives about 200 meters away! Jhan and his family are in here, across the lanai is my friend Isabella and Nico (he was in my class a few years ago), and below is a family that chats on the lanai almost all day long, so that means no complaints from them about Kainoa because they are loud too. Perfect.
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One of the men already smelt me baking and asked to be invited, looks like I might have future help with broken things in exchange for baking-nice. Other neighbors aren't fans of the baking! I've already set the smoke alarm off twice. By the way, if you set a smoke alarm off beating it with a broom only makes matters worse because the battery drops out and without a battery it continues to beep to remind you your alarm is broke.

For the most part we are almost all moved in and my legs feel like I have ridden 400 miles from all the moving, lifting, carrying! THANK YOU SO MUCH to my friends that helped, couldn't have done it without you all! Of course somethings will never change, like the fact 5 years of college could not help me follow a step-by-step books shelf for a 3 year old! Brooke did it, leave it to a pregnant girl, she didn't even use the directions! Truly I believe the directions make things more difficult-never follow them.

Plant shopping was also fun! CHECK it out, finally a double colored hibiscus! You better believe we bought it, no promises it lives, I've killed every plant I've ever owned...this one says, "little care needed", so it should be fine for me.

Tonight Kainoa promises to sleep in his own bed, that would be nice. After the move and today's swim/ride combo I could use a sleep without legs and arms clobbering me! Training is back in full swing, this week looks like a heaps of fun if you love swimbikerun, I see a training load full!
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Live it up!
Bree

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Look at my beautiful sister, she is going to smash me up when she discovers I posted this and some other things we have planning around the belly! Oh it's good to be the "older sister" .
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Today I don't feel my legs. They are at last nights track. Seeing a track was something I was not envisioning this early in a season...but it came sooner than expected. It wasn't a horrible hard session, it was a "welcome back" to running in circles and feeling some speed, some belly aching, and a bit of "hold on", just a bit to remind me what happens at a track.
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Main set, in case you want to borrow mine, was 12x400 descending 1-3 each time, and all under 90 seconds with a 30 second rest (or 200 easy jog between). It goes in the books as a favorite track session. It wasn't "cake" but is was far from "digging a well". It was the beautiful balance between "I love running and I like to feel my breath while doing it". For me, not being a track kind of girl it was probably a good thing to start me in with something challenging yet possible with some effort. Now I'm ready to embrace these kind of workouts a little less intimidated...
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I'm discovering after a hard season of learning it's important to remember success, even if it is just a little thing like managing 12 loops around a track. We kind of need that as athletes, to know what it feels like to complete a goal and finish something with a smiley face sticker rather than another painful lesson learned, even if in time the lessons make us better.
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Enjoy your weekend!! Cheers to big belly's and feeling a bit of success!

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Big 7.5. I'm not talking about the size of the waves around here, I'm talking about my training week....a whopping 7.5 hours! Coach said it would be challenging and I would struggle with this more than having 40 hours a week (which has never happened swimbikerun), and midweek-he is right! Monday was the Ironman swim, nap, nap, movie. Tuesday was a ride. Today was a run and soon I'll go swim. The rest of the week is similar, including a FULL day off.
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I'm not sick, burned out, injured, or unmotivated, thankfully none of the above...I'm on "RECOVERY WEEK". Feels like a taper since I don't get to fill my time with adventures, instead I'm doing the exact opposite of training, I'm recovering, rebuilding. Coach is teaching me this season to focus on this "other equally as important" area of sport.
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The feet have been up, not even experimenting in the kitchen this week! Movies are my friend, I've been watching a lot of Tim Curran (the man in the foto) and Kalani Robb flicks (they are my favorite surfers). I've slept during the day too! Truthfully I feel lazy and this is discipline if ever I met discipline. Tomorrow my training partners are riding my favorite South Loop, 3-4 hours, I get to spin easy for 1 hour of it.... oh boy!
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Here are some recovery links I've discovered while "recovering" , I just skimmed and scammed them, some useful info, I'm just trusting coach on this one.
Exercise Recovery
Sports Performance Recovery
Enhancing Recovery
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The bright side, I've gotten to see the whales breach, catch up with my mom on the phone, organize Kainoa's baby book (finally!), and I'm learning to chill out. Hope your training and your recovery is going well!
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Bree

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I've got nothing to write, so I copied a story I read this morning while eating papaya... it's cool and it sort of fits yesterdays Ironman swim fotos...
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Once upon a time, there was a wise kupuna (elder), who went to the sea to contemplate. One day while walking along the shore, the kupuna looked down the beach, and saw a gracefully dancing human figure. The kupuna wondered out loud, "who would so joyfully greet this day with hula?" and began to walk faster to catch up. Getting closer ...the kupuna saw that the dancer was a keiki (child), who was not dancing at all. The keiki was reaching down to the sand to pick up something, and was gently throwing it into the sea.
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The kupuna called out to the keiki, "Aloha! What are you doing?"The keiki paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish into the sea." Surprised, the kupuna sputtered, "I guess I should have asked, "Why are you throwing starfish into the sea?" The keiki smiled brightly, pointed upward and, with exquisite simplicity, replied "The sun is up, the tide is going out, if I don't throw them in they will die." "But don't you realize," asked the kupuna, "that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it? You can't possibly make a difference!" The keiki listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it gently into the sea, just beyond the breaking waves, and exuberantly declared, "It made a difference for that one."
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In each and every one of us, there is something very special. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a positive difference. If we are fortunate enough to fully accept and acknowledge that gift, we gain the "mana", the power to shape the future. Like the starfish, you have been chosen out of the multitude, to surf upon this cyber-shore and be inspired by a child's wisdom. Become the wise keiki. "The sun is up, the tide is going out. If you don't throw them in, they will die." Return the aloha spirit back into your Sea of Life. Find your starfish. Throw them gently and wisely back into the sea so they may live. Making a difference, you will Live!
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Told by: Kaimana Nakamura

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